The invention relates to toasters.
Electric Toasters or so-called xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d toasters are well known and typically included a toasting chamber with a spring biased toasting rack moveable between an upper position and a lower position. A handle is provided for moving the toasting rack to the lower position for a toasting cycle. At the same time as being moved to the lower position the toasting rack makes switch contacts for energising toaster elements and to begin the toasting cycle. An electric solenoid or bi-metal catch holds the toasting rack in the lower position for the period of the toasting cycle. At the end of the toasting cycle the toasting rack is released and the spring bias raises the toasting rack to its upper position to xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d the toast.
A first problem associated with these known toasters is the effort require to move the toasting rack to its lower position and secure it with the solenoid or bi-metal catch. Relatively, the toasting rack has a long travel between the upper and lower positions and thus a relatively long stiff bias spring is required to bias it,
This spring undergoes high tensional forces during the lower part of the toasting rack travel (near the lower position). A relatively large force is needed to force down the toasting rack to lower the slice of bread into the toast chamber and activate the toasting cycle.
A second problem is associated with the end of the toasting cycle. When the toasting cycle is complete the toasting rack is released and will move back to its upper position under influence of the biasing spring. The mechanical release of the toasting rack is inter-related with the switch contacts for the toasting elements. If a slice of bread (or toast) jams in the toasting. chamber the toasting rack will not rise after release. The toasting elements remain energised and there is the possibility of burning the toast and creating a fire hazard.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toaster that requires little effort to lower the toasting rack. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toaster that overcomes or ameliorates the risk of fire due to jamming. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide the public with a. useful alternative to known toasters.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a toaster including a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions, and a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions, and wherein a user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position, and when the latch is released the toasting rack falls (is able to fall) to the lower position. At the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the to upper position by manual operation of the handle.
Preferably, the lever arm is pivotally mounted substantially at a balance point between the toasting rack and handle.
Preferably, the releasable latch is associated with a switch for energising toaster elements, when the latch is released the toaster elements are energised for a toasting cycle.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a toaster including a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions, and a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions, and wherein the lever arm is pivotally mounted substantially at a balance point between the toasting rack and handle, and a user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position, and when the latch is released the toasting rack falls(is able to fall) to the lower position and at the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a toaster including a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions, a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions, a user releasable latch for retaining the toaster rack in the upper position, and a solenoid for retaining the latch in a released position, when the latch is released the toasting rack falls (is able to fall) to the lower position, the solenoid retaining the latch in the released position until the end of a toasting cycle. At the end of the toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only.